Bronswell Patrick
Encyclopedia
Bronswell Dante Patrick (born September 16, 1970 in Greenville, North Carolina
) is a former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
. He also played in various international leagues.
After Patrick pitched at D. H. Conley High School in Winterville, North Carolina
, the Oakland Athletics
selected him with the 593rd overall pick of the 1988 June draft
, as part of the 23rd round. Patrick started out with the Phoenix Athletics
in the Arizona League
and pitched in Oakland's system until , when he left as a minor league free agent.
Patrick had agreed to play as a "replacement player" in the wake of the 1994 baseball strike
, but his major league debut was postponed when the two sides struck a deal http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/replacement_players.shtml. He continued to pitch in the minor leagues for affiliates of the Houston Astros
and Milwaukee Brewers
, and on May 18, 1998 he finally broke in as a reliever for the Brewers. He spent the majority of that season with the Brewers, pitching 78 1/3 innings while appearing mostly in relief. He collected four wins
and one loss, struck out
49 batters, and posted a 4.69 earned run average
. In a game on August 1, he hit a home run
against Félix Rodríguez
, becoming the first Brewers pitcher to hit a home run since Skip Lockwood
in . In a September 13 game against the Chicago Cubs
, Patrick surrendered a home run to Sammy Sosa
, during Sosa's chase of the record for single-season home runs. The home run in question was Sosa's 61st of the season, tying the previous mark set by Yankees outfielder Roger Maris
, and placing him one behind McGwire, who had hit his 62nd on September 8. Later in the same game, Sosa would hit his 62nd against Eric Plunk
to pull into a tie with McGwire.
After the season, the Brewers removed Patrick from their roster, and he joined the San Francisco Giants
organization. Working as a starter for their AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies
, Patrick set a Fresno record with 14 wins. The Giants rewarded him for his good work with a September callup, and he appeared in six games for them, picking up a win and a save despite a 10.12 ERA.
The Giants removed him from their roster after the season, but Patrick has continued to pitch professionally. He was one of the top pitchers in the Mexican League in , with his 13-2 record helping the Mexico City Red Devils win their 14th championship. Most recently, he spent part of with the Tabasco Olmecas and Yucatan Lions of that same league, then joined the Brother Elephants
of the Chinese Professional Baseball League
. In a 2000 interview with the Calgary Sun
, Patrick was quoted as saying, "I'm going to continue to try and pitch as long as I can. Until they come and tell me they're taking the uniform away, and even then they're not getting it without a fight." http://www.canoe.ca/BaseballCAL/may4_pat.html
In 2008, Patrick joined the staff of the AZL Padres as the team's pitching coach.http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ros&cid=410
In 2009, he was named the pitching coach for the Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Midwest League
for the 2010 season
was suggested by an aunt, who claimed to have seen it used overseas. He has three children, two sons and one daughter, and loves baseball.
Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North Carolina...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
. He also played in various international leagues.
After Patrick pitched at D. H. Conley High School in Winterville, North Carolina
Winterville, North Carolina
Winterville is a town in Pitt County, North Carolina. The population was 4,791 at the 2000 census. In 2008, the estimated population is 8,586. The town is a part of the Greenville Metropolitan Area.-Geography:...
, the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
selected him with the 593rd overall pick of the 1988 June draft
1988 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
, as part of the 23rd round. Patrick started out with the Phoenix Athletics
Phoenix Athletics
The Arizona League Athletics are a minor league baseball team in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. They are a Class R team in the Arizona League and have been a farm team of the Oakland Athletics since 1988. The Athletics play home games at Papago Park Sports Facility, the minor league spring training complex...
in the Arizona League
Arizona League
The Arizona League is a minor league baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona. It is a rookie-level professional baseball league run by Major League Baseball since 1989. Games are played at the spring training complexes of the team's parent organizations from mid-June until the...
and pitched in Oakland's system until , when he left as a minor league free agent.
Patrick had agreed to play as a "replacement player" in the wake of the 1994 baseball strike
1994 baseball strike
The 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike was the eighth work stoppage in baseball history, as well as the fourth in-season work stoppage in 22 years...
, but his major league debut was postponed when the two sides struck a deal http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/replacement_players.shtml. He continued to pitch in the minor leagues for affiliates of the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
and Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, and on May 18, 1998 he finally broke in as a reliever for the Brewers. He spent the majority of that season with the Brewers, pitching 78 1/3 innings while appearing mostly in relief. He collected four wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
and one loss, struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
49 batters, and posted a 4.69 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. In a game on August 1, he hit a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
against Félix Rodríguez
Félix Rodríguez (baseball)
Félix Antonio Rodríguez is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Camden Riversharks....
, becoming the first Brewers pitcher to hit a home run since Skip Lockwood
Skip Lockwood
Claude Edward Lockwood Jr. is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Seattle Pilots , Milwaukee Brewers , California Angels , New York Mets and Boston Red Sox .-Third base:Lockwood attended Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, where...
in . In a September 13 game against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, Patrick surrendered a home run to Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
, during Sosa's chase of the record for single-season home runs. The home run in question was Sosa's 61st of the season, tying the previous mark set by Yankees outfielder Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
, and placing him one behind McGwire, who had hit his 62nd on September 8. Later in the same game, Sosa would hit his 62nd against Eric Plunk
Eric Plunk
Eric Vaughn Plunk , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1986-1999.Plunk was involved in two trades for Rickey Henderson...
to pull into a tie with McGwire.
After the season, the Brewers removed Patrick from their roster, and he joined the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
organization. Working as a starter for their AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
, Patrick set a Fresno record with 14 wins. The Giants rewarded him for his good work with a September callup, and he appeared in six games for them, picking up a win and a save despite a 10.12 ERA.
The Giants removed him from their roster after the season, but Patrick has continued to pitch professionally. He was one of the top pitchers in the Mexican League in , with his 13-2 record helping the Mexico City Red Devils win their 14th championship. Most recently, he spent part of with the Tabasco Olmecas and Yucatan Lions of that same league, then joined the Brother Elephants
Brother Elephants
The Brother Elephants are a professional baseball team in Taiwan. It was originally established as an amateur team in 1984 by the Brother Hotel located in Taipei City, and later joined the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 1989...
of the Chinese Professional Baseball League
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League , or CPBL, is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2003...
. In a 2000 interview with the Calgary Sun
Calgary Sun
The Calgary Sun is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.First published in 1980, the tabloid-format daily replaced the long-running broadsheet newspaper, The Albertan soon after it was acquired by the publishers of the Toronto...
, Patrick was quoted as saying, "I'm going to continue to try and pitch as long as I can. Until they come and tell me they're taking the uniform away, and even then they're not getting it without a fight." http://www.canoe.ca/BaseballCAL/may4_pat.html
In 2008, Patrick joined the staff of the AZL Padres as the team's pitching coach.http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ros&cid=410
In 2009, he was named the pitching coach for the Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
for the 2010 season
Personal life
According to Patrick, his unusual given nameGiven name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
was suggested by an aunt, who claimed to have seen it used overseas. He has three children, two sons and one daughter, and loves baseball.